March 20, 2012

The Shape Of Things: March's Aries New Moon

A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. George William Curtis

Socrates said he was not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world. Plutarch

He who has an art has everywhere a part. Romanian Proverb

I have never belonged wholeheartedly to a country, a state, or to a circle of friends, nor even to my own family. Albert Einstein

All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and entrances; each man in his time plays many parts. William Shakespeare

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world. Virginia Woolf

He worked like hell in the country so he could live in the city, where he worked like hell so he could live in the country. Don Marquis

This has been a particularly Uranian time that we've been experiencing for some months. The energy has been electric, confused, pushy and yet slow, somehow organised and then somehow deranged, and, generally, all over the shop (especially so with Mars retrograde in Virgo since January 25).

Uranus has been in high focus for quite a long time and its energy can have people not sleeping, being able to rest, make decisions that will stick, or, there can be the feeling of being an alien in a strange land with nowhere to dock. I know that many are feeling this. Uranus is like a big pair of metal bolt cutters - it can be very decisive and yet somehow cruel in action as it cuts through the crap to the core of things on the one hand, and, glances off the surface of things in its rather uncommitted and uncaring way. Confused? Many would answer yes. Sure of the future? Many will say no. One thing is for sure, we are being asked to determine our place in the scheme of things - how do you, or others, fit in? How do you see your cameo, or outline, what would you write up about yourself?

The Aries new Moon falls on March 23 in Australia and March 22 in the US. The Sabian Symbol is Aries 3: A Cameo Shows The Profile Of A Man That Suggests The Outline Of His Country. The following is from my book The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom

There’s often a need to feel included or involved in the larger picture in order to feel “whole” or accepted. Taking the time to examine your place in society can bring about insights into just what the big picture is for you. Understanding and expanding your true place in the scheme of things can lead to actually having a much larger ‘Profile’. This could be on any level, emotional, physical, mental or spiritual. The ‘Country’ that this Symbol implies may not have national boundaries. There is the spiritual “country”; the ideological “country”, even past life “countries”. There are some people who find their roots in a mixture of these places, or realities, and don’t actually feel a belonging to their actual ‘homeland’. The sense of having a place is often deep-seated and truly found in the individual’s belonging to the essential self. How do you, and others, fit into this situation? Does your ‘Profile’ define you in a different way from what you’d like, or are you happy with the outline of your image? Picture who you want to be or what you want out of life. Using a pen and paper, draw your ‘Cameo’ or just picture what the outline of your ‘Country’ should be, as it could be an interesting exercise. We are what we believe we are. What face are you showing to the world?

Keywords: Observing one’s limitations. Living a life that is large. Atlases and maps. Standing by one’s self. Allegiances with creed, religion, race or country. Nationhood. Brotherhood. The land. People in uniforms of any kind. The face of fighters who fought ‘the good fight’. Borders and limitations to activity. Identification.

The Caution: Stereotyping one’s self or others. Blindly following the dogma of parents, government or officials. Not seeing the true essence of one’s self. Expecting to fit into some “shape” or model. Becoming identified with externals. Seeking recognition from others.

So, the Sun and the Moon are both on Aries 3. Uranus is on Aries 5 and both the Moon and the Sun will transit over Uranus in the hours and days following the new Moon. It seems that Uranus is showing the way some are coping (or not coping) with things at the moment. The Sabian Symbol is Aries 5: A White Triangle Is Seen; It Has Golden Wings. This is a beautiful Symbol that indicates that you don’t have to feel stuck in the present situation – you can rise above it to something more spiritual, beautiful and joyful. It can picture an eagerness for spiritual integration. At this time there may be a need to not ground your visions, but allow them the free flight of imagination. However, the drive for spiritual integration or the longing for ecstatic experiences can cause a feeling of being out of touch with reality. It is important to persevere through any feelings of disorientation until a new sense of balance is discovered - then the grounding of your vision (or situation) can take place naturally.

Uranus seems to be suggesting that we take an elevated view of things, let things take their wings and to let go and let God in some sense, all the while still managing to steer your life in the desired direction. Challenging? Yes, you bet, but there are many who will cut ties with the past, move on, get rid of excess baggage and generally be free to start afresh. After all, this is the beginning of the zodiacal year and new beginnings are on the cards for many.

Mercury is retrograde ('wretchrograde'!?) on Aries 1: A Woman Emerging From the Ocean. So, there's an emergence taking place, but with Mercury retrograde, it's in the works, perhaps it's an ongoing project or one that hasn't quite got it's cameo (or outline) yet. Aries 1 is a wonderful degree of giving birth (yet again) to one's self, gaining a sense of one's feet and voice and finding the place where one belongs. It really fits in well with the Symbol for Aries 3: The Cameo Profile. Mercury goes into direct motion on April 4, so there can be frustration around as we can feel held back from actually moving forward ourselves.

Mars is also retrograde - in Virgo (it went retrograde on January 25). It's been a long, slow, hard grind in many respects and Mars is not particularly comfortable in Virgo. He doesn't like being so particular, picking up after himself, or being picky in general. Mars would rather just get on with things than stand around (or go backwards!) analyzing and sizing things up. No, he'd rather be racing full steam ahead. Mars goes prograde (forward) on April 14, so it could be time to throw a Mars party :)

Mars is on Virgo 7: A Harem. This is a great degree of sister and brotherhood and people working together towards a common goal. However, it can also show a feeling of being unimportant, past one's prime, not the main attraction (being passed over for others), not having a place or a sense of authority. It can show working hard without getting much in return, getting lost in the crowd or being irrelevant. Many woman, particularly older women, feel very disaffected and alienated from today's world -invisible, impotent or only there to serve others. The so called "War On Women" that is going on in US politics is a good example of this. The dialogue around this is astounding; it is almost like women are a different species from men.

Keywords: Rising above jealousy, arrogance and passion. Waiting to be bestowed with the gift of being “chosen”. Women’s circles, sometimes closed. Women’s groups. Working together. Sharing feminine rituals and stories. Egyptian tales. One person calling the shots. Beauty salons. Seduction of the senses. Having one’s needs serviced. Women pampering each other. People who serve.

The Caution: Being just one of “the mob”. Assuming the right to dominate others or those in less powerful social circumstances. Not having a sense of personal importance. Mistrust of other women. Seeing them as competition. The spread of socially unacceptable diseases. Locked doors.

Smack opposite retrograde Mars is Chiron on Pisces 7. This is a big opposition that speaks of issues of fairness, equal rights, feeling displaced, hurt, left out, bruised by life. Just Mars and Chiron opposing can bring up those issues, but combining these particular Symbols makes it even stronger. Chiron (which I see very much not only as the Wounded Healer, but also The Stories We Tell Ourselves) is on Pisces 7: Illuminated By A Shaft Of Light, A Large Cross Lies On Rocks Surrounded By Sea And Mist.

Keywords: Renewed dedication after loss. Looking for signs of hope and recovery. Coming to terms with loss or failure. Rocks, mist, howling winds on coasts. Crosses of faith. Important and substantial sacrifices. Being devastated by events. Being in the “spotlight” in difficult times. Finding the way through the dark. The need for sacrifice. Alternative religions. Stepping outside religious boundaries.

The Caution: Lost faith. Hopes dashed. Giving up. Being shattered by the constraints of life. Depression. Feeling like one is being sacrificed, sometimes for nothing. Unable to see through the fog. Scorn, persecution and attack because of religious or social reasons. Hopelessness. Things grim, dark and foreboding.

*For those interested, the above Cross Shattered degree is the Chiron of Princess Diana = now is her Chiron return. Her Pluto was directly opposite her Chiron. Pluto was on The Harem degree. Quite the opposition in her life. I wonder if more is going to emerge about that story. Certainly Prince Harry is in the news a lot lately and it's hard not to notice how he doesn't look like Prince Charles' son.*

Neptune's message seems to be one of choosing to hide away, protect yourself and what you have or to come out into the sunshine, fresh air and life and it's larger possibilities. It is hard to say how we will react to Neptune at the moment. The Sabian Symbol is Pisces 2: A Squirrel Hiding From Hunters. Neptune here may be suggesting the need to nourish and protect yourself and not to reach out too much just now - take things easy or as they come.

It feels like 'the way out' is coming, although I suspect it is on the horizon and moving closer, with the retrogrades and all. It seems as if help is coming as Saturn is (retrograde) on Libra 28: A Man Alone In Deep Gloom. Unnoticed, Angels Are Coming To His Aid.

Keywords: Feelings of not being alone. Awareness of spiritual help in times of need. Salvation versus depression. Feeling like one’s luck is about to change. Improvements in the pipeline. Changes in the “weather”. Helpers arriving just when they’re needed. Brightening influences. Angels and spiritual forces for good.

The Caution: Unrealistic reliance on spiritual agencies or help from others. Feeling like no one cares or that no one is listening. Being alone and forgotten. Losing faith in things getting better. Refusing help. Misery and gloom and doom.

Whether your are the 'angel' or others act in this way for you, it helps to imagine that the angels are arriving, although Saturn could have many wondering how on earth it could happen. As we know in a world of possibilities, something could just pop out of the works at just the right time. With Saturn here, I don't think it's a case of just waiting for something to arrive - no, it feels more like one could be rewarded for the hard work, application and faith that they've put into the situation.

The trick is that many may want to 'go on strike' in some way or measure. The Moon's south node is on Gemini 8: Aroused Strikers Surround A Factory.

Keywords: Bargaining to find more equitable solutions. Demanding better rights and conditions. Comradeship. Disruption of the normal flow. Not wanting to contribute or work. The need to take time out to consider one’s position. Taking action or refusing to act. Strikes and strikers. Demonstrations. Peace rallies. Standing up for others. Scab labor. Sweat shops. Slave labor. Strikes. Bosses. Workers. Placard waving.

The Caution: Being obsessed with what is desired. Refusing any compromises. Going without one’s due in order to protest. Being locked out of situations because of one’s actions or attitude. Being left out in the street. Greedy behavior. Asking for more than one’s share. Being overworked and underpaid.

It seems that things are brewing - particularly with the retrogrades of Mercury, Mars and Saturn - and the Moon's north node is confirming the energies. It's on Sagittarius 8: Deep Within The Depths Of The Earth, New Elements Are Being Formed. This speaks of deep and yet often seismic shifts going on deep within. In fact, there may be far more going on down below the surface than is apparent from surface realities or evidences.

The north node indicates things going on at a subterranean level, but there's more movement afoot up on the surface with Mercury retrograding over Aries 1 (Mercury is going backwards into the realm of the 'ocean' - Pisces). So, there's a need to dive deeply. It seems that Venus, in it's ruling sign Taurus, is wanting to push forward with her objectives. Venus is on Taurus 19: A New Continent Is Rising Out Of The Ocean. Something is emerging and it feels fresh and alive and new. Perhaps you're being pushed into a new reality and you could feel like you've been in a fog as emergence has taken place. It could be that you've been clearing out your closets (in every way imaginable perhaps) and leaving the dross and the weight of the past behind. Now, there can be a fresh slate, but is this in preparation for something that is to come in the future? If so, it's good to be prepared. After all, there is a lot of retrograde energy around... still, this is an Aries new Moon and the push is there, it's just that we're being pushed in so many different directions that one can end up feeling discombobulated in the process. Uranus has a way of stirring things up, freaking us out, breaking down barriers, and, sometimes, causing barriers through selfish, ill considered or reactionary behavior.

Keywords: Enormous potentiality emerging. New trends and ways of being. Sudden eruptions of talent or fields of endeavor.The greenhouse effect and global warming. Atlantis and other ancient underwater cities. Evolution. Patience. Developing slowly but surely. Emerging generations of people. New environments.Things feeling suddenly foreign. The birth of a nation.

The Caution: Continually seeking “new worlds” rather than finding a place in the existing one. Not taking responsibility for the birth of the new. Not showing respect for the old or established.

It's interesting to note that the new Moon degree is A Cameo Shows The Profile Of A Man That Suggests The Outline Of His Country and Venus is A New Continent Is Rising Out Of The Ocean. With the retrogrades at the moment, you may feel in a liminal period (kind of like a state of suspended animation) and wondering when things are going to actually break through. It can feel like you've been catapulted to go forward, but a big elastic band is snapping you backwards. Mercury going direct in the first week of April will see things freeing up somewhat and then Mars will go direct on April 14. This should get things going after a period of adjustment as things really start falling into place.

Jupiter seems to be showing us the dream, or the wishes for things or people or events in one's life. The Symbol is Taurus 12: A Young Couple Walk Down Main-Street, Window-Shopping.

It may feel like one is taking two steps forward and one step back - but perhaps that's ok for these times.

Comments

A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. George William Curtis

Socrates said he was not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world. Plutarch

He who has an art has everywhere a part. Romanian Proverb

I have never belonged wholeheartedly to a country, a state, or to a circle of friends, nor even to my own family. Albert Einstein

All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and entrances; each man in his time plays many parts. William Shakespeare

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world. Virginia Woolf

He worked like hell in the country so he could live in the city, where he worked like hell so he could live in the country. Don Marquis

This has been a particularly Uranian time that we've been experiencing for some months. The energy has been electric, confused, pushy and yet slow, somehow organised and then somehow deranged, and, generally, all over the shop (especially so with Mars retrograde in Virgo since January 25).

Uranus has been in high focus for quite a long time and its energy can have people not sleeping, being able to rest, make decisions that will stick, or, there can be the feeling of being an alien in a strange land with nowhere to dock. I know that many are feeling this. Uranus is like a big pair of metal bolt cutters - it can be very decisive and yet somehow cruel in action as it cuts through the crap to the core of things on the one hand, and, glances off the surface of things in its rather uncommitted and uncaring way. Confused? Many would answer yes. Sure of the future? Many will say no. One thing is for sure, we are being asked to determine our place in the scheme of things - how do you, or others, fit in? How do you see your cameo, or outline, what would you write up about yourself?